title: Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis by the Gen-Probe AMPLIFIED Chlamydia Trachomatis Assay (AMP CT) in urine specimens from men and women and endocervical specimens from women.
abstract: Molecular biology-based amplification methods are significantly more sensitive than other methods for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis. The performance characteristics of the new Gen-Probe AMPLIFIED Chlamydia Trachomatis Assay (AMP CT) with endocervical and urine specimens were compared to those of culture for patients attending two Baltimore City sexually transmitted disease clinics and a clinic for adolescents. AMP CT uses transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) and hybridization protection assay procedures to qualitatively detect C. trachomatis by targeting a 23S rRNA. Discrepant results between culture-negative and AMP CT-positive specimens were resolved by direct fluorescent-antibody staining of sedimented culture transport medium for elementary bodies and by TMA with 16S rRNA as a target. Following discrepant analysis, for 480 female urine specimens AMP CT had a sensitivity of 93.8% and a specificity of 100%. For 464 male urine specimens, the resolved sensitivity and specificity of AMP CT were 95.6 and 98.7%, respectively. For the 479 endocervical swab specimens the sensitivity of AMP CT was 100% and the specificity was 99.5%. Resolved culture sensitivities of AMP CT for female and male swab specimens were 52.3 and 58.9%, respectively. These results demonstrate that AMP CT is highly sensitive for the detection of C. trachomatis in endocervical specimens and in urine specimens from men and women.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Crotchfelt
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pare
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gaydos
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Quinn
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000382:microbiology*; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000652:urine*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization / Q000379:methods; D012338:RNA, Ribosomal, 23S / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012338:RNA, Ribosomal, 23S; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic